Maedayama Eigoro
Encyclopedia
Maedayama Eigorō was a sumo
wrestler from Ehime Prefecture
, Japan
. He was the sport's 39th Yokozuna.
. On his school excursion to Oita
in the spring of 1926, he met future yokozuna Futabayama Sadaji
, who had not yet joined Tatsunami stable
, and was participating in the track meet. After joining Takasago stable
in the autumn of 1927, he met Futabayama again. Subsequently he and Futabayama practiced sumo together regularly after he entered sumo.
He made his professional debut in January 1929. His early shikona
or fighting name was Sadamisaki, but he changed it to Maedayama in honour of the surgeon who saved his career after he was forced to sit out the whole of 1934 through injury.
He reached the top makuuchi
division in January 1937. In May 1938, he was promoted to ozeki, straight from the fourth komusubi rank, after finishing as tournament runner-up. It was the quickest rise to ozeki since Ōnishiki Uichirō
in 1916. In January 1941, he defeated ozeki Haguroyama
and yokozuna Futabayama. His strongest technique was harite, or face slap. His technique caused a controversy over harite but Futabayama supported him, insisting it was a legitimate sumo technique.
Maedayama was an ozeki during the war years, when few tournaments were held, and took his only top division championship in the autumn of 1944, with a 9-1 record. He was promoted to yokozuna in June 1947 after taking part in a three way play-off that also included fellow ozeki Azumafuji and yokozuna Haguroyama. He was thirty-three years old at the time of his promotion and in his short yokozuna career he was unable to win any further tournament championships, only managing to produce two winning scores. Always a temperamental and controversial figure, he was forced to retire by the Japan Sumo Association
in October 1949 after dropping out of a tournament claiming illness, only to be subsequently photographed at a baseball game with Lefty O'Doul
.
while still active in the ring (a practice no longer permitted) and upon his retirement he formally adopted the name Takasago Oyakata. In 1964 he recruited Takamiyama from Hawaii
, the first foreigner to succeed in professional sumo. He went on an extended tour of the US to promote sumo, without the permission of the Sumo Association's directors. He produced yokozuna Asashio Tarō III
in 1959 and ozeki Maenoyama Tarō
in 1970. In 1967 he allowed Chiyonoyama
's Kokonoe stable
into his faction, stengthening the Takasago ichimon (group of stables). He became calmer late in his life and died on August 17, 1971 of cirrhosis of the liver, just too soon to see Takamiyama become the first foreigner to win a championship in 1972. After his death, foreigners such as ozeki Konishiki Yasokichi
and yokozuna Asashoryu Akinori
joined his stable.
|-
!
!New Year
!Summer
!Autumn
|-
|1937
|East Maegashira #12 (7-4)
|East Maegashira #5 (9-4)
| no tournament held
|-
|1938
| East Komusubi (11-2)
| East Ozeki (8-5)
| no tournament held
|-
|1939
|East Ozeki (9-4)
|East Ozeki (10-5)
| no tournament held
|-
|1940
|West Ōzeki (10-5)
|West Ōzeki (11-4)
| no tournament held
|-
|1941
|East Ōzeki (12-3)
|East Ōzeki (10-5)
| no tournament held
|-
|1942
|West Ōzeki (2-3-10)
|East Ōzeki (11-4)
| no tournament held
|-
|1943
|West Ōzeki (11-4)
|East Ōzeki (9-6)
| no tournament held
|-
|1944
|West Ōzeki (9-6)
|East Ōzeki (8-2)
|bgcolor=#66FF00|West Ōzeki (9-1)
|-
|1945
|no tournament held
|East Ōzeki (1-2-4)
|West Ōzeki (5-5)
|-
|1946
|no tournament held
|no tournament held
|East Ōzeki (11-2)
|-
|1947
|no tournament held
|West Ōzeki (9-1)
|West Yokozuna (6-5)
|-
|1948
|no tournament held
|East Yokozuna (0-1-10)
|East Yokozuna (3-6-2)
|-
|1949
|East Yokozuna (5-3-5)
|West Yokozuna (9-6)
|bgcolor=gray|Retired
{|
| Green Box=Tournament Championship
|}
Sumo
is a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...
wrestler from Ehime Prefecture
Ehime Prefecture
is a prefecture in northwestern Shikoku, Japan. The capital is Matsuyama.-History:Until the Meiji Restoration, Ehime prefecture was known as Iyo Province...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. He was the sport's 39th Yokozuna.
Career
He was born in Nishiuwa DistrictNishiuwa District, Ehime
The is a district located in Ehime Prefecture. As of 2007 — The district has an estimated population of 12,304 with a total area of 94.34 km².The district consists of one town.*Ikata- History :...
. On his school excursion to Oita
Oita Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan on Kyūshū Island. The prefectural capital is the city of Ōita.- History :Around the 6th century Kyushu consisted of four regions: Tsukushi-no-kuni 筑紫国, Hi-no-kuni 肥国, and Toyo no kuni...
in the spring of 1926, he met future yokozuna Futabayama Sadaji
Futabayama Sadaji
Futabayama Sadaji , born as Akiyoshi Sadaji in Oita Prefecture, Japan, was the 35th Yokozuna in sumo wrestling, from 1937 until 1945. He won twelve top division championships and had a winning streak of 69 consecutive bouts, an all-time record. Despite his dominance he was extremely popular with...
, who had not yet joined Tatsunami stable
Tatsunami stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, and the head stable of the Tatsunami ichimon or group.-History:The stable is one of the most prestigious in sumo. It was originally founded in 1876 by Onigazaki, but the current incarnation dates from 1915...
, and was participating in the track meet. After joining Takasago stable
Takasago stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Takasago group of stables.It is correctly written in Japanese as "髙砂部屋", but the first of these kanji is rare, and is more commonly written as "高砂部屋"....
in the autumn of 1927, he met Futabayama again. Subsequently he and Futabayama practiced sumo together regularly after he entered sumo.
He made his professional debut in January 1929. His early shikona
Shikona
A shikona is a sumo wrestler's ring name.As with standard Japanese names, a shikona consists of a 'surname' and a 'given' name, and the full name is written surname first. However, the given name is rarely used outside formal or ceremonial occasions. Thus, the former yokozuna Asashōryū Akinori is...
or fighting name was Sadamisaki, but he changed it to Maedayama in honour of the surgeon who saved his career after he was forced to sit out the whole of 1934 through injury.
He reached the top makuuchi
Makuuchi
or is the top division of professional sumo. Its size is fixed at 42 wrestlers , ordered into five ranks according to their ability as defined by their performance in previous tournaments....
division in January 1937. In May 1938, he was promoted to ozeki, straight from the fourth komusubi rank, after finishing as tournament runner-up. It was the quickest rise to ozeki since Ōnishiki Uichirō
Onishiki Uichiro
Ōnishiki Uichirō was a sumo wrestler. He was the sport's 26th Yokozuna. On November 2, 1922, he became the first yokozuna to perform Yokozuna Dohyo-iri at the Meiji Shrine.-Career:...
in 1916. In January 1941, he defeated ozeki Haguroyama
Haguroyama Masaji
Haguroyama Masaji was a sumo wrestler from Nakanokuchi, Niigata, Japan. He was the sport's 36th yokozuna. He was a yokozuna for a period of twelve years and three months dating from his promotion to that rank in May 1941 until his retirement in September 1953, which is an all-time record...
and yokozuna Futabayama. His strongest technique was harite, or face slap. His technique caused a controversy over harite but Futabayama supported him, insisting it was a legitimate sumo technique.
Maedayama was an ozeki during the war years, when few tournaments were held, and took his only top division championship in the autumn of 1944, with a 9-1 record. He was promoted to yokozuna in June 1947 after taking part in a three way play-off that also included fellow ozeki Azumafuji and yokozuna Haguroyama. He was thirty-three years old at the time of his promotion and in his short yokozuna career he was unable to win any further tournament championships, only managing to produce two winning scores. Always a temperamental and controversial figure, he was forced to retire by the Japan Sumo Association
Japan Sumo Association
The is the body that operates and controls professional sumo wrestling in Japan under the jurisdiction of the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Rikishi , gyōji , tokoyama , and yobidashi , are all on the Association's payroll, but the organisation is run...
in October 1949 after dropping out of a tournament claiming illness, only to be subsequently photographed at a baseball game with Lefty O'Doul
Lefty O'Doul
Francis Joseph "Lefty" O'Doul was an American Major League Baseball player who went on to become an extraordinarily successful manager in the minor leagues, and also a vital figure in the establishment of professional baseball in Japan.-Player:Born in San Francisco, California, O'Doul began his...
.
Retirement from sumo
He had become head coach of Takasago stableTakasago stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Takasago group of stables.It is correctly written in Japanese as "髙砂部屋", but the first of these kanji is rare, and is more commonly written as "高砂部屋"....
while still active in the ring (a practice no longer permitted) and upon his retirement he formally adopted the name Takasago Oyakata. In 1964 he recruited Takamiyama from Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, the first foreigner to succeed in professional sumo. He went on an extended tour of the US to promote sumo, without the permission of the Sumo Association's directors. He produced yokozuna Asashio Tarō III
Asashio Taro III
Asashio Tarō III was a sumo wrestler from Kobe, Hyogo, Japan. He was the sport's 46th Yokozuna. He was also a sumo coach and head of Takasago stable.-Career:...
in 1959 and ozeki Maenoyama Tarō
Maenoyama Taro
Maenoyama Tarō is a former sumo wrestler from Osaka Prefecture, Japan. He began his career in 1961, reaching the top makuuchi division in 1966. His highest rank was ozeki which he held from 1970 until 1972. He retired in 1974 and became head coach of the Takadagawa stable...
in 1970. In 1967 he allowed Chiyonoyama
Chiyonoyama Masanobu
Chiyonoyama Masanobu was a sumo wrestler from Fukushima, Hokkaidō, Japan. He was the sport's 41st Yokozuna. He was also the founder of Kokonoe stable.-Career:...
's Kokonoe stable
Kokonoe stable
is a stable of sumo wrestlers, one of the Takasago group of stables. It was formed in 1967 and is located in Ishiwara, Sumida, Tokyo. As of April 2008 it had 16 sumo wrestlers.-History:...
into his faction, stengthening the Takasago ichimon (group of stables). He became calmer late in his life and died on August 17, 1971 of cirrhosis of the liver, just too soon to see Takamiyama become the first foreigner to win a championship in 1972. After his death, foreigners such as ozeki Konishiki Yasokichi
Konishiki Yasokichi
----, is a Hawaiian-born Japanese–Samoan former sumo wrestler. He was the first foreign-born wrestler to reach ozeki, the second highest rank in the sport...
and yokozuna Asashoryu Akinori
Asashōryū Akinori
is a former sumo wrestler from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. He was the 68th yokozuna in the history of the sport in Japan and became the first Mongol to reach sumo's highest rank in January 2003. He was one of the most successful yokozuna ever. In 2005 he became the first man to win all six official...
joined his stable.
Top division record
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 120%"|-
!
!New Year
!Summer
!Autumn
|-
|1937
|East Maegashira #12 (7-4)
|East Maegashira #5 (9-4)
| no tournament held
|-
|1938
| East Komusubi (11-2)
| East Ozeki (8-5)
| no tournament held
|-
|1939
|East Ozeki (9-4)
|East Ozeki (10-5)
| no tournament held
|-
|1940
|West Ōzeki (10-5)
|West Ōzeki (11-4)
| no tournament held
|-
|1941
|East Ōzeki (12-3)
|East Ōzeki (10-5)
| no tournament held
|-
|1942
|West Ōzeki (2-3-10)
|East Ōzeki (11-4)
| no tournament held
|-
|1943
|West Ōzeki (11-4)
|East Ōzeki (9-6)
| no tournament held
|-
|1944
|West Ōzeki (9-6)
|East Ōzeki (8-2)
|bgcolor=#66FF00|West Ōzeki (9-1)
|-
|1945
|no tournament held
|East Ōzeki (1-2-4)
|West Ōzeki (5-5)
|-
|1946
|no tournament held
|no tournament held
|East Ōzeki (11-2)
|-
|1947
|no tournament held
|West Ōzeki (9-1)
|West Yokozuna (6-5)
|-
|1948
|no tournament held
|East Yokozuna (0-1-10)
|East Yokozuna (3-6-2)
|-
|1949
|East Yokozuna (5-3-5)
|West Yokozuna (9-6)
|bgcolor=gray|Retired
- The wrestler's East/West designation, rank, and win/loss record are listed for each tournament.
- A third figure in win-loss records represents matches sat-out during the tournament (usually due to injury)
{|
| Green Box=Tournament Championship
|}
See also
- Glossary of sumo termsGlossary of sumo termsThe following words are terms used in sumo wrestling in Japan. azukari : Hold. A kind of draw. After a mono-ii, the gyōji or the shimpan "holds" the result if it was too close to call...
- List of past sumo wrestlers
- List of sumo tournament winners
- List of Yokozuna